𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙁𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 ⚠ slow updates ⚠ *editing*

The Southern Air Temple; The Return of the Avatar pt. 1

It was rare for Hestia to be glad that she was a firebender, cold places were not her cup of tea, especially if she was grabbed and thrown on the back of an Air Nomad's flying bison, hundreds, possibly thousands of feet in the sky.

The cold wind whipped at her hair and clothes and skin. How could anyone feel safe at this height? No, how can anyone feel safe off the ground? Hestia thought it was all in her head, but she couldn't help herself and the acrophobia she's clearly a victim of.

"What's your name?" That Water Tribe girl asked over the wind that seemed to be like standing in a silent room.

"Why are you asking me for my name now?" Hestia's response was muffled, but somehow she found the courage to spare a glance at the girl, "It-it's Hestia!" She once again ducked her head into her sleeves.

"Hestia's a nice name, but it's really uncommon for a Water Tribe girl like yourself, " the girl responded, "I'm Katara. This is my brother Sokka."

"Ni-nice to meet you, " Hestia stuttered horribly, gulping down her fear, "Also, I'm not Water Tribe."

"You're not?!" the siblings yelled in stun, "But-but, you look so much like us!"

"Half true. My father was water tribe, whereas my mother was a firebe-- fire nation...gal." Hestia tried to play her near slip up from her awkwardness.

"You're Fire Nation?!" Sokka croaked loudly.

"No, that's not what I just said!" Hestia rolled her eyes with her sarcastic words.

"But, you're also Water Tribe, huh?" Hestia nodded, glancing at Katara, "Oh wow! It must have been a great romance story! Two nations at war, two lovers in the midst of the blood and fighting! Sounds very romantic!" the girl gushed.

"It would be romantic if they were still alive." Hestia frowned sadly.

"Wait, so is that why you're wearing Fire Nation clothing?" Aang suddenly asked from his perch on his Bisons', she found his name was Appa, head.

"Well, the Fire Nation encourages its people to always wear its nations' colors. And by encourage, I mean they enforce it, " she said, "not to mention, these keep me warm."

"And also, why did that guy have you on his ship? He didn't take you prisoner like he tried to do with Aang, did he?" Katara asked in concern, then gasped, "Has he forced you into anything? Is he only keeping you around to be his...his, uh, concubine?" her eyes widen in horror along with the others

"What?! No, no! You're mistaken! I'm not a concubine! I grew up with Zuko", Hestia quickly explained, horrified.

"You did?" Katara asked, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.

"Yes! I was already living in the Fire Nation when my parents were killed, " Hestia shakenly sat up, "Fortunately for me, my mother was friends with the Fire Lady before her passing. I was taken in by the royal family."

"So, then, you know why he wants to lock me up and take me back the Fire Nation?" Aang asked from his perch on his bison's head.

"I...yes. I do, but it's not my story to tell. I'll sum it up, Avatar. Zuko is a good person, he's just lost sight of himself."

~

This was just not his day. That Avatar escaped from his clutches! And if that were his biggest concern, the boy also snatched Hestia!! Zuko was attempting to keep his cool.

After managing to melt the glacier ice from the ship, they spent hours, close to a day, sailing to a ship repairing dock. The Fire Nation ship took a great amount of damage from the Avatar's counter-attack, and if Zuko wanted to get the kid, and Hestia, he'd need his ship fixed before chasing after them again.

"My, that's a lot of damage, " The angering familiar voice of Commander Zhao. The man calmly waltzed onto the dock, hands clasped behind his back. He held a taunting smirk, in which Zuko inwardly wished to do the honor of wiping it off his ugly adult face.

Hestia didn't like this guy, either. Whenever he came around, she'd keep her distance far, but close enough. A pervert, she had called him. Zuko doubted that Zhao would have any interest in a sixteen-year-old, but Zhao surprised him when making compulsively lewd comments about his friend. All were racist, of course. Not only was he racist, but he was also an inconsiderate sexist pig, and arrogant, and compulsive, and self-centered, and undeniably a pompous ass---Zuko took a deep breath, in a small hope to calm himself.

Why anyone sane would want someone like Zhao to be their leader, Zuko couldn't understand. Zhao was full of himself.

A million excuses flew through Zuko's mind in a panic. What should he say? His teenage male pride wouldn't let him admit the fact that an eleven-year-old Avatar destroyed half of his ship. He wouldn't slip the truth.

"Uh, " Zuko pondered for an answer.

"We had a collision with an Earth Colony ship while chasing a lead on the Avatar." Iroh calmly spoke, approaching the two males after stepping off the ship's dented ramp.

Zhao glanced at the old man with slight interest, "The Avatar?" He looked at Zuko.

"Yes, we haven't any luck so far." Iron answered for his nephew, knowing he'd most likely be smart.

"Greetings, General Iroh, it's a pleasure." Zhao suddenly gave a short bow toward Iroh.

"Ah, I am retired now, Iroh is just fine!" The old man dismissed the formal introduction.

"As for the collision, I'd love to hear all about it...perhaps over tea?" Zhao pressed the piqued interest of Iroh.

Iroh did love his tea, no doubt about it. He couldn't resist the offer. "Oh, that'd be nice, thank you."

"Of course." Zhao nodded before gesturing the two to follow after him.

Sorry, this chapter is late! I intended to update days ago, but finals are here and I has to study and what not. 58% of that study time was me slacking. But good news, I'm graduating early next year!! Back to this, the air temple is clearly not seen, but I'll have in the next chapter, see the part 1 part? Yeah, so I hope you enjoyed and I'll try to update as soon as I can or remember. Okay! Later peeps!

~Brittany